19990517: METAR Data -665535 Group

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 19990517: METAR Data -665535 Group
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 08:13:32 -0600

                                                       13 May 1999
     
 MEMORANDUM TO: Distribution
     
 FROM:          W/NP12 Bradley Ballish
     
 SUBJECT:       METAR Data with 665535 Group
     
 A spurious 6 digit group 665535 has appeared in the METAR data 
 from some US METAR sites and should be ignored until the
 problem can be fixed.  Charles Anderson of Canada pointed this out 
 indicating that they seem to be only for automatic stations and 
 started first in Alaska, and then they have spread to the lower 48 
 states.  It has not been easy to find out what this data group 
 means.  Ray Downs of the US NWS suggested contacting the FAA
 about the problem.  Today I talked to Fred Gibbs of the FAA and he 
 said the data is spurious and is from AWOS sites only.  For examples 
 of this data, see the attachment.  Thanks are due to the many people 
 who helped research this problem.
     
     
 Attachments
     
 Distribution:
 Charles.Anderson@xxxxxxxx
 obs-xchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 Ray.Downs@xxxxxxxx
 Andy.Horvitz@xxxxxxxx
 Fred.Gibbs@xxxxxxx
 Duane.Kidwell@xxxxxxxx
     
 CC:
 Joe.Irwin@xxxxxxxx
 Robert.Hollern@xxxxxxxx
     
     
  ATTACHMENT
     
  Sample METAR Data with the 665535 Group Follow
     
SAUS20 KNKA 290255
METAR KCEC 290255Z AUTO 34022G28KT 9SM CLR 09/05 A3019 RMK AO1
    665535
SAUS20 KNKA 290855
METAR KBTP 290855Z 10007KT 10SM CLR 08/M02 A3018 RMK AO1 665535 TSNO= 
SAUS20 KNKA 290855
METAR KFKL 290855Z AUTO 07005KT 10SM CLR 07/M03 A3022 RMK AO1 665535
    TSNO
SAAK41 KNKA 290856
METAR PANI 290855Z AUTO 12007KT 10SM CLR 01/M03 A3015 RMK AO1 665535
    TSNO
SAUS70 KWBC 290900
KBTP 290855Z 10007KT 10SM CLR 08/M02 A3018 RMK AO1 665535 TSNO= 
SAUS20 KNKA 291455
METAR KUDG 291455Z AUTO 04011G22KT 10SM OVC012 10/08 A3005 RMK AO1
    665535